Rotation enhanced rotor blade cooling using a single row of coolant passageways

Abstract

A rotor blade such as a turbine rotor blade for a jet engine. The airfoil blade portion of the rotor blade has a plurality of longitudinally extending coolant passageways preferably interconnected to define a serpentine coolant circuit. Each passageway has a wedge shape including a base and an opposing tapered tip. For passageways channeling coolant from the blade root to the blade tip, the bases are positioned proximate the pressure side of the airfoil blade and the tapered tip is positioned proximate the suction side of the airfoil blade to take advantage of the Coriolis force acting on the coolant in the passageway of the rotating blade to improve overall heat transfer effectiveness.

We claim: 
     
       1. A rotor blade comprising a shank and an airfoil blade, said airfoil blade having: (a) a pressure side:   (b) a suction side, said sides joined together to define an airfoil shape;   (c) a blade root attached to said shank;   (d) a blade tip;   (e) a longitudinal axis extending outward toward said blade tip and inward toward said blade root; and   (f) walls defining a first generally longitudinally extending coolant passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally outward, said first passageway having a transverse cross-sectional shape of generally a wedge including a base disposed proximate said pressure side of said airfoil blade, an opposing tapered tip disposed proximate said suction side of said airfoil blade, and sides connecting said base to said tapered tip, wherein each of said sides of said wedge is not aligned with said pressure side or said suction side of said airfoil blade.   
     
     
       2. The rotor blade of claim 1, wherein said walls also define a second generally longitudinally extending coolant passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally inward, said second passageway having a transverse cross-sectional shape of generally a wedge including a base disposed proximate said suction side of said airfoil blade, an opposing tapered tip disposed proximate said pressure side of said airfoil blade, and sides connecting said base to said tapered tip, wherein each of said sides of said wedge is not aligned with said pressure side or said suction side of said airfoil blade. 
     
     
       3. The rotor blade of claim 1, wherein said base of said wedge is aligned generally with said pressure side of said airfoil blade. 
     
     
       4. The rotor blade of claim 1, wherein said wedge has a shape of generally a trapezoid. 
     
     
       5. The rotor blade of claim 1, wherein said wedge has a shape of generally a triangle. 
     
     
       6. A rotor blade comprising a shank and an airfoil blade, said airfoil blade having: (a) a pressure side;   (b) a suction side, said sides joined together to define an airfoil shape;   (c) a blade root attached to said shank;   (d) a blade tip;   (e) a longitudinal axis extending outward toward said blade tip and inward toward said blade root; and   (f) walls defining a first generally longitudinally extending coolant passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally outward, said first passageway having a transverse cross-sectional shape of generally a triangular wedge including a base disposed proximate, and aligned generally with, said pressure side of said airfoil blade, an opposing tapered tip disposed proximate said suction side of said airfoil blade, and sides connecting said base to said tapered tip, wherein each of said sides of said wedge is not aligned with said pressure side or said suction side of said airfoil blade.   
     
     
       7. A rotor blade comprising a shank and an airfoil blade, said airfoil blade having: (a) a pressure side;   (b) a suction side, said sides joined together to define an airfoil shape;   (c) a blade root attached to said shank;   (d) a blade tip;   (e) a longitudinal axis extending outward toward said blade tip and inward toward said blade root; and   (f) walls defining a plurality of generally longitudinally extending coolant passageways disposed in a row with adjacent said passageways interconnected to define at least a portion of a serpentine coolant circuit, each said passageway having a transverse cross-sectional shape of generally a wedge, said wedge including a base and an opposing tapered tip, said base of one of any two adjacent said passageways disposed proximate said pressure side and said tapered tip of said one passageway disposed proximate said suction side of said airfoil blade, and said base of the other of said two adjacent passageways disposed proximate said suction side and said tapered tip of said other passageway disposed proximate said pressure side of said airfoil blade.   
     
     
       8. The rotor blade of claim 7, wherein said base of said one passageway is aligned generally with said pressure side of said airfoil blade, and said base of said other passageway is aligned generally with said suction side of said airfoil blade. 
     
     
       9. The rotor blade of claim 7, wherein said wedge of at least one of said passageways has a shape of generally a trapezoid. 
     
     
       10. The rotor blade of claim 7, wherein said wedge of at least one of said passageways has a shape of generally a triangle. 
     
     
       11. The rotor blade of claim 7, wherein said plurality is at least three. 
     
     
       12. The rotor blade of claim 7, wherein said one passageway is a passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally outward, and said other passageway is a passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally inward. 
     
     
       13. The rotor blade of claim 14, wherein said one passageway is a passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally outward, and said other passageway is a passageway for channeling coolant longitudinally inward. 
     
     
       14. A rotor blade comprising a shank and an airfoil blade, said airfoil blade having: (a) a pressure side;   (b) a suction side, said sides joined together to define an airfoil shape;   (c) a blade root attached to said shank;   (d) a blade tip;   (e) a longitudinal axis extending outward toward said blade tip and inward toward said blade root; and   (f) walls defining at least three generally longitudinally extending coolant passageways disposed in a row with adjacent said passageways interconnected to define at least a portion of a serpentine coolant circuit, each said passageway having a transverse cross-sectional shape of generally a triangular wedge, said wedge including a base and an opposing tapered tip, said base of one of any two adjacent said passageways disposed proximate, and aligned generally with, said pressure side and said tapered tip of said one passageway disposed proximate said suction side of said airfoil blade, and said base of the other of said two adjacent passageways disposed proximate, and aligned generally with, said suction side and said tapered tip of said other passageway disposed proximate said pressure side of said airfoil blade.